Portraits arrive in Ethiopia

It seems like yesterday we were creating portraits for the children in Ethiopia!  And now we can see our artwork in their hands-fantastic!! Congratulations to all the students that took the time to make someone smile across the world! Check out those smiles, after reading this wonderful letter from Ben Schumaker. 

Dear Ms. Kaiser and Artists,

I’m very happy to let you know that the kids in Ethiopia have received the portraits, and they absolutely loved them!

In total my two team members delivered portraits to kids at five different locations.  They took video footage of the kids receiving the portraits at three of those locations, and here you will see just how excited the kids were to receive their special gifts:

Video of Delivery in Ethiopia

At the other two locations they took photos of the kids individually holding their portraits.  I matched you with kids at one of those two locations so that you would have these individual delivery photos.

I think you will also be pleased to know that we were able to make a collective financial donation of $3,550 to help support the kids' education, thanks to the participation fees you contributed.  So please be proud that you helped to provide that gift along with the portraits.

Thanks so much to all of you for being part of the Memory Project.  You have given these children meaningful keepsakes to last a lifetime.  I hope you’ll be involved again!  

Most Gratefully,

Ben Schumaker
Founder & Director
The Memory Project

Inspiration from an "Iconic" Work of Art Final Exam Project

Your next piece will be a creation of your choice that is inspire by a great work of art, architecture, design...etc.  You will decide on the piece after doing some research.  There are many styles of drawing and paintings with a range of subject matter that you can draw upon. The  MOMA and Yale University Art Gallery have an amazing array of work.  If you choose an artist that is on exhibit at either one of these museums you should try to view their work in person.  You could also base your piece on an iconic sculpture, building, poster…etc. The Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal are all memorable because of their design.  All artists are influenced by the work of previous artists. We will look at some examples of this in class.  We have already viewed Las Meninas by Picassso which was influenced by Velazquez's piece with the same name. He used the same composition but represented everything in a less realistic way. How will you represent the piece you have chosen in your work?  YOU should create a unique work of art using paint, pencil, ink or all of the above.   CREATE something meaningful to you!  View the document below to get all of the information you need to begin...

Final Exam Document

ICONIC WORKS OF ART

Final Exam Project Activist Art

                                                                                  

                                                                    

You can  decide to make a work of art that is related to a cause you feel passionate about. Or you could make a whimsical piece that reflects an interest or subject. A cause could be related to something close to home, in your own community, or it could be an issue that affects the entire world.  When you create this work of art it should be something you feel personally invested in.

In your sketchbook:

·         Describe why you are interested in this cause or subject.

Make a list of words or symbols that could or do represent your cause or subject.   For instance if you were going to make a work of art about families or people being homeless your list might look like this:  $$, people, children,  empty boxes, broken homes??,  sad, pain, loss, bad economy, mental illness,…etc.   If you were  creating a work of art about birds decide what you want to include in the piece.

·         List some colors you think will help you portray the mood you want to relate to the viewer.

·         After you have your list start drawing thumbnail sketches of ideas of any overall composition.  We will be mixing-media to create this work of art, but it is a good idea to start with some kind of composition.  

Outside of class look for articles or written words about your cause or subject.  You could also type something up yourself and pick and interesting font that supports or reflects your cause or subject.  Maybe there are lyrics to a song that are suitable.  You need to have writing or words somewhere in your work (they do not have to be legible). Contemplate what texture paper you might want to add to your work. Finally, draw an image you want to repeat in your work of art.  This could be a symbol or an actual object, person, animal…etc.   You will repeat this image either by replicating it smaller or larger or cutting it out of paper. 

Putting it all together 

 Now that you gathered all the materials and ideas for your work start composing.   How can repetition of an image have an impact on the movement and interest in your piece?  What are you going to emphasize?  Is there a focal point?   How are you going to place colors, textures, lines, and shapes to create a visually balanced piece? 

Self-Portrait

Advanced Drawing and Painting

Clara Lieu, “Self-Portrait No. 31″, from ”Falling“

Sometimes an artist puts everything into
a series of works of art. The artwork carries the essence of the person with it. An artist that does just that is the inspiration for our first project (it will be a difficult one). We are going to jump right in draw a self-portrait that has expression. 

Clara Lieu an artist and Professor at Rhode Island School of Design created a series of expressionistic self-portraits that are executed so perfectly (if there is such a thing as a perfect work of art).  

Take a look. In your sketchbook write your reaction to her self-portraits. Which one do you like the best and why? I also want you to look up some creative self-portraits and put the links of them in the comment area of this post. 

Lieu's self-portraits

Julia, grade 11

Emily, grade 11

Jamie, grade 12

The human face is universal, that is obvious, but drawing it a certain way is not. In this drawing lesson you will have many challenges, from  drawing your facial features in proportion to developing a creative idea and composition.  Ask yourself what you need to work on when it comes to drawing facial features.? Does the idea of drawing yourself make you excited or scared (or a little bit of both)?  No worries, relax and take the steps needed to make your drawing YOURS.  Planning, practicing, and being thoughtful about the process will help you be successful!

Steps to take:

·         *Draw your features separately and as a whole face.  Practice, Practice, Practice. This will count as a sketchbook grade.

·         *View styles of self-portraits, including the ones on this hand-out. See how other artists have approached this idea. Take to the web and search for images of self-portraits. Share your favorite with the class.

·         Design a composition that is interesting and that focuses on the mood you want to get across.  There has be an identifiable mood (at least by you and hopefully the viewer).  3 different approaches of your ideas should be sketched for a grade.

·         Do a gesture or contour drawing the actual size you plan on making your piece.  No smaller than 12 x 18 will be acceptable.

·         Work on drawing by building up values and focusing on each mark you make.  This is a long-term project and you should take your time, enjoy the process.

·         Complete a self-reflection in your sketchbook after  the class critique.  This important step allows your think about what you feel successful at what you need to work on. 

As an outcome of this lesson you will: ·         Generate and conceptualize a unique self-portrait that expresses a mood and/or expression that is personally meaningful.  (NCAS  Anchor Standard 1 and 2/Investigate, Plan, Make) ·         Demonstrate skills and techniques in drawing  (NCAS Anchor Standard 3/Reflect, Refine, Continue) ·         Critique self and peer work  (NCAS Anchor Standard 7/Perceive) ·         Identify the characteristics of self-portraits by Frida Kahlo and Clara Lieu Project Requirements: ·         Sharing research and ideas with peers. Partaking in group discussions exploring various concepts with classmates.  Sketchbook:  Example of one self-portrait done by an artist that you find intriguing, to share with class. ·         Three thumbnail sketches of alternate concepts for drawing. ·         Completed drawing (see separate rubrics) ·         Completed self-reflection ·         Participating in final project critique. Vocabulary:  value, contrast, proportion, cropping, space, depth, texture, emphasis, craftsmanship, persistence

Summing it up…

As an outcome of this lesson you will:

·         Generate and conceptualize a unique self-portrait that expresses a mood and/or expression that is personally meaningful.  (NCAS  Anchor Standard 1 and 2/Investigate, Plan, Make)

·         Demonstrate skills and techniques in drawing  (NCAS Anchor Standard 3/Reflect, Refine, Continue)

·         Critique self and peer work  (NCAS Anchor Standard 7/Perceive)

·         Identify the characteristics of self-portraits by Frida Kahlo and Clara Lieu

Project Requirements:

·         Sharing research and ideas with peers. Partaking in group discussions exploring various concepts with classmates.  Sketchbook:  Example of one self-portrait done by an artist that you find intriguing, to share with class.

·         Three thumbnail sketches of alternate concepts for drawing.

·         Completed drawing (see separate rubrics)

·         Completed self-reflection

·         Participating in final project critique. 

Anyone need Inspiration?

As we look deeper into everyday objects we see that the elements and principles of design are "organized" in stunning fashion.  Take a look at the article about a Ted Talk discussing the collision of science and art. 




SCIENCE and ART Collide!

Marbelous No. 05 (2013)

An unusual look at the properties of oil, as colorful marbles of oil paint float in a solution of water and methylated spirits.

Vanishing Beauty (2012)

Powders can behave like fluids. Here, corn starch hangs in the air momentarily, retaining its shape, as the balloon surrounding it is popped.

Millefiori No. 01 (2012)

Ferrofluid is a magnetic, hydrophobic liquid that forms colorful curves and channels when deposited onto a magnet and injected with watercolor paints. More starting at 5:20 in Oefner’s talk.

Grain of Scent (2013)

Tiny individual droplets of a liquid mixed with spray paint hang in the air for a fraction of a second, forming a scent sculpture

Titus Kaphar

This weekend I read an article about Titus Kaphar an artist that resides in New Haven.  In the article he is described as an artist that is, "initiating a contemporary dialogue".   I would like you to discover how his artwork does just that.  Your goal is to look into the life and work of Titus Kaphar. Tell us something about his life and his art.  Choose a painting you find captivating and tell us about it.  I would like you to use the elements and principles of design in the description of his work.  In your sketchbook describe the painting you chose, including the size, media, and year it was painted.  Write why you chose this piece and if you know why it was painted by Kaphar.  We will begin the discussion on Wednesday April 27th.  Email me the image you chose so I can have it ready to view on Monday also print out a copy to keep in your sketchbook.

Titus Kaphar's Website

Calliope

CALLIOPE SPRING/SUMMER SKETCH IS DUE ON FRIDAY APRIL 8th!!

EMPHASIS

focus, main idea, what grabs your attention…

ART WORK Project Proposal. 

In your sketchbook answer the following questions and do a quick thumbnail sketch of your artwork.

•        How are you going to emphasize a certain area, object, person in your      artwork?
•      What material(s) are you going to use to create your piece?
•         What aspect of your artwork will be something realistic?  Drawn from life would be the most challenging and accurate. Drawn from a photograph won’t give you as much depth, but will be accepted if it is the only option.

     All of the works of art below have an area that is emphasized.  Can you tell how you know the artist is composing the elements in a way to emphasize something?

To begin this lesson, find 3 examples of Emphasis in a still-life, abstract design, and creative representational.  Copy and Paste artwork into a document, labeling how Emphasis is created in each work of art.  Share the document with me: lkaiser@branfordschools.org